News Release – Ohio High School Athletic Association Commissioner Daniel B. Ross, Ph.D. www.OHSAA.org | www.twitter.com/OHSAASports | www.Facebook.com/OHSAA For Immediate Release – Nov. 23, 2014 Contact – Tim Stried, Director of Information Services, [email protected] OHSAA Releases Football State Semifinal Pairings 28 schools are now one step away from playing for a state championship in Ohio Stadium COLUMBUS, Ohio – The state semifinals are next up in the Ohio High School Athletic Association football playoffs, where 28 teams are now one step away from playing for a state championship in Ohio Stadium December 4, 5 and 6. The OHSAA released the state semifinal pairings and neutral sites on Sunday. In Divisions II through VII, the regional championships last Friday and Saturday included a four‐overtime game, five schools winning their first regional title, one school winning its 15th, and one school winning its sixth in a row, which is the longest active streak in Ohio (see link to full notes packet below). Last week the OHSAA announced how the regional champions in Divisions II through VII would be paired in this week’s state semifinals. Bracket format was three rounds in Divisions II through VII. In Division I, the state semifinals this weekend are also the regional finals (trophies will be presented) since there are only two regions in Division I and bracket format lasts four rounds instead of three. In Division I, the ‘final four’ includes one school in for the first time, while another in for the 16th time. Nov. 23 Playoff Notes Packet: http://www.ohsaa.org/news/sports/2014OHSAAFBRelease5.pdf Playoff Coverage Home: http://www.ohsaa.org/sports/ft/boys/2014/2014FTcoverage.htm Includes Ohio Stadium policies and information on tickets, RV parking passes and suite rentals. Ticket Information Fans are encouraged to buy their playoff tickets in advance at the participating schools, which get to keep a percentage of the revenue. For state semifinal playoff games, tickets are $8 presale and $10 at the gate. State Championships Tickets and Ohio Stadium Policies All‐session ticket packages for the state championship games in Ohio Stadium went on sale last summer and are available from the Greater Columbus Sports Commission (www.ColumbusSports.org) and TicketMaster.com. A $105 all‐session ticket package includes a ticket to all seven games in a chair‐back seat and access to the Huntington Club in the stadium between games. An $84 all‐session ticket is available without a chair back or access between games. Single‐session tickets will go on sale November 30. State Championships Returning to Columbus After 24 years in Stark County, the OHSAA football state championship games will return to Ohio Stadium on the campus of The Ohio State University in 2014 and 2015. The championship games were hosted in Ohio Stadium throughout the 1980s but needed to find a new home in 1990 when natural grass was installed in the stadium. More on why the finals are returning to Columbus: http://www.ohsaa.org/news/Magazine/Spring2014/pg03.pdf Tickets and Ohio Stadium policies: see link above to playoff coverage. Throughout the Playoffs – Let’s All “Respect the Game” Speak with Courtesy, Act with Dignity and Play with Pride In August, 723 teams began the football season and 224 (31 percent) qualified for the playoffs based on the OHSAA’s computer points rating system. There are seven football divisions, with the largest 72 schools placed in Division I and the remaining schools placed in Divisions II through VII (approximately 108 schools in each division). There are two regions in Division I and four regions each in Divisions II through VII. The top 16 teams in both Division I regions qualified for the playoffs, while the top eight schools in each region in Divisions II through VII qualified. Playoff History Database: http://www.ohsaa.org/sports/history/FT/FootballParticipants.pdf OHSAA Football Online Home (composite schedules, AP polls and notebooks, playoff information, etc.): http://www.ohsaa.org/sports/ft/boys/default.asp Statewide Broadcast List: http://www.ohsaa.org/sports/ft/boys/OHSAAFootballRadioListing.pdf OHSAA Radio Network Home: http://www.ohsaa.org/news/Radio/radiohome.asp Championships on the OHSAA Radio Network Now in its fifth year, the OHSAA Radio Network will broadcast the football state championship games. Stations are welcome to carry any broadcast and can have their own broadcast rights fees reduced or waived during the playoffs by opting into an affiliate plan to carry some of the championship games. Please contact Tim Stried at the OHSAA for more information. Schedule and Broadcast Crews: Network Join Time is 30 Minutes Before Kick‐Off Times Listed Below Thursday, December 4, 7:30 PM: Paul Keels and Justin Zwick Friday, December 5, 10:00 AM: David Wilson and Matt Finkes Friday, December 5, 3:00 PM: Scott Leo and Matt D’Orazio Friday, December 5, 8:00 PM: Paul Keels and Jim Lachey Saturday, December 6, 10:00 AM: David Wilson and Justin Zwick Saturday, December 6, 3:00 PM: Scott Leo and Matt D’Orazio Saturday, December 6, 8:00 PM: David Wilson and Chris Vail 2014 OHSAA Football Playoffs State Semifinal Pairings Pairings are shown with regional seeds and current records. State championship games will be played December 4‐6 at Ohio Stadium in Columbus. Exact dates and times for state championship game assignments will be announced late Friday night, Nov. 28, for Divisions II, III, IV and VI, and late Saturday night, Nov. 29, for Divisions I, V and VII. Home team listed first Division I Regional Finals (Also Serve as State Semifinals) Games at 7 p.m. on Saturday, November 29 Home Team Listed First. Region 1 1 Hudson (13‐0) vs. 2 Lakewood St. Edward (11‐2) at University of Akron InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field Region 2 5 Huber Heights Wayne (12‐1) vs. 6 Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller (10‐3) at Mason Dwire Field at Atrium Stadium Division II State Semifinals Games at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28 Home Teams Listed First. 2 Mayfield (12‐1) vs. 2 Macedonia Nordonia (13‐0) at Solon Stewart Field 1 Lewis Center Olentangy (13‐0) vs. 1 Cincinnati LaSalle (12‐1) at Dayton Welcome Stadium Division III State Semifinals Games at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28 Home Teams Listed First. 2 Akron St. Vincent‐St. Mary (11‐2) vs. 4 The Plains Athens (13‐0) at New Philadelphia Woody Hayes Quaker Stadium 1 Toledo Central Catholic (11‐2) vs. 3 Trotwood‐Madison (12‐1) at Findlay Donnell Stadium Division IV State Semifinals Games at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28 Home Teams Listed First. 1 Cleveland Benedictine (12‐1) vs. 3 Steubenville (10‐3) at Canton Central Catholic Lowell Klinefelter Field 4 Kenton (11‐2) vs. 1 Kettering Archbishop Alter (13‐0) at Sidney Memorial Stadium Division V State Semifinals Games at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29 Home Team Listed First. 1 Canton Central Catholic (13‐0) vs. 1 Columbus Bishop Hartley (11‐2) at Zanesville Sulsberger Stadium 4 Coldwater (12‐1) vs. 1 Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy (13‐0) at Piqua Alexander Stadium, Purk Field Division VI State Semifinals Games at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28 Home Team Listed First. 3 Kirtland (13‐0) vs. 2 Lucasville Valley (11‐2) at New Albany Veterans Field 1 Defiance Tinora (13‐0) vs. 3 Minster (10‐3) at Wapakoneta Harmon Field Division VII State Semifinals Games at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29 Home Team Listed First. 1 Norwalk St. Paul (12‐1) vs. 2 Glouster Trimble (13‐0) at Mount Vernon Yellow Jacket Stadium 3 Columbus Grove (9‐4) vs. 1 Maria Stein Marion Local (13‐0) at Lima Spartan Stadium ### OHSAA ### Tim Stried Director of Information Services Ohio High School Athletic Association Office: 614‐267‐2502, ext. 124 [email protected] www.ohsaa.org twitter.com/OHSAASports Fax: 614‐267‐1677 4080 Roselea Place Columbus, OH 43214